A WHOLE new world awaits Cliviger vicar Rev Andrew Frearson when he leaves for his new parish - in Georgia, USA.

He is to become associate priest at Christ Church, Norcross, a suburb of Atlanta.

The road to the states began in 1991 when he went on a "job swop" to Alabama and met his American wife, Lesleigh and they married at St John's, Cliviger, soon afterwards.

Earlier this year they were visiting Atlanta for a family wedding and casually enquired about the possibility of moving to a parish there. Within months he had been offered one.

He said: "It is something we'd thought about on and off, but not particularly seriously.

"But then everything just fell into place."

Christ Church has an average attendance of around 450 on Sunday mornings.

Mr Frearson, 38, will be in charge of the youth programme at the church as well as training a team of pastoral visitors.

He will also have responsibility for music and hopes to study counselling.

He says: "Although I am excited at the move, I'll be sad to leave Cliviger."

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